James j



(No Model.)

J. J. PARKER.

DICE GASTBR.

No. 485,709 Patented Nov. 8, 1892.

ATTORNEYS.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. PARKER, OF FULTON, NEW YORK.

E-CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,709, dated November 8,1892.

Application filed March 29, 1892. Serial No. 426,956- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES J. PARKER, of Fulton, in the county of Oswego, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Dice-Casters, of which the following, taken in connection with the'accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved dicecaster, and has for its object the production of a simple, effective,and durable device which is manufactured economically and is noiseless in operation.

To this end it consists, essentially, in a frame having an air passage or duct, a movable diesupport mounted in proximity to the exit of said passage or duct, a compression device for forcing a current of air through the passage or duct for agitating the support, a stop movable into said duct for preventing the passage of the air, and in the detail construction and arrangement of the parts, all as hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly in section, of my invention, illustrating the general construction and arrangement of the parts. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1, further illustrating the detail construction and arrangement of the parts. Fig. 3 is an isometric perspective of one of the inverted die-supports, and Fig. 4 is an isometric perspective of the detached plunger for compressing the air and agitating the dice-supports.

It is well known that players with dice are more or less liable to take advantage of one another by unfair manipulation of the dice and sometimes by the use of loaded dice. My invention is designed to obviate this liability of cheating by giving to each player an equal chance and incasing the dice from handling. I am aware, however, that in dicecasters previously devised the dice have been so incased for preventing cheating and presentin g an even chance to each player. These dice-casters are, however, owing to their peculiar construction, somewhat noisy in operation and are liable to become inoperative or uncertain in action, owing to the interposition between the actuating plunger and the dice-supports of motion-transmitting mechanism, as hinged levers, &c. My invention is particularly difierentiated from this, class of dice-casters in that the motive power for agitating the dice-supports is a current of compressed air produced by the action of a movable plunger or other suitable compression device. Consequently no rattling is produced and the device is positive and certain, as there is no intermediary mechanism between the actuatingplunger and the dice-supports.

The frame A of my invention may be of desirable form, size, and construction, and I have here illustrateda preferred type thereof shown as pentagonal in form and as provided with yielding feet Z, which are suitably secured thereto, are formed of rubber or other suitable material, and are arranged at the corners of the frame. The frame A is also provided with a central chamber B and a series of air passages or ducts 0, having the upright extremity c and the laterally-turned end 0 opening from the lower extremity of the.

central chamber B. The central chamber B and the air passages or ducts C are formed, preferably, in a hub (1., depending from the top walla of the frame A within the outer shell or? of said frame, and interposed between the hub a and the wall a is a cavity a which greatly decreases the weight of the frame.

Movable within the central chamber B is a plunger D, formed,preferably, of less diameter than the chamber 13, so as to obviate fitting of said plunger within the chamber B, and thus decrease the cost of production of my invention.

Within the chamber B is a lining 1), formed of flexible material impervious to air and arranged with one edge suitably secured at b, to the lower extremity of the chamber B and the other secured by a removable ring (1 or other suitable means to the plunger D, whereby when the plunger is forced downwardly the upper extremity of the lining follows with the plunger, and aids in forcing the air from the chamber B into the ducts or passages C.

40 with a depending flange g.

the supports g are transparent shells H,'formed I 55 ject from the wall a The movement of the plunger D is facilitated by an opening a in the portionof the top wall a of the frame A, directly imposed above the chamber B for permittinginlet and 5 outlet of air to the upper portion of said chamber B as the plunger descends and rises.

Extending upwardly from the frame A'is a central hub A, and movable within this hub is a plunger-rod D, suitably secured at one end to the plunger D and provided at the other end with a hand-engaging portion D E is a spring of suitable construction for forcing the plunger D toward thenupper ex:

tremity of the chamber B, and, ashere shown,

[5 this spring consists'of a conical-shaped spiral interposed between .the lower face of the,

plunger and-theadjacent face of the bottom Th'is bottom wall. BC is preferablyremovable tin orderto; Sim-1,. 2o lify the manufacture of thedicepaster-and wall 13' of the chamber B.

facilitate repainthereof, and is suitably secured in position by screws or otherfastening means 13 At the central portion'of the wallB'is the size,andconstruction, being here shown as-a 2'5 air-inlet F, which .is of-any desirableform,

plate f, mounted above an openingf in the wall B', secured tothe central portion-of a flexible strapf heldin position by suitable 3o fastening means The frame-A is formed with a series-ofde pressions or seats A arranged, preferably,

-around thecentral hub A.',-and' supported.

withinthese seats, directly abovethe exit 0,

5 of the passages O, are thedice-supports g. The seats 'A 'are preferably provided with bushings G, and the dice-supports areofanysuitable light material andof desirable form,-

being here shown as circulariand-as provided Directly-above of glass or other suitable material,=and preferablyprovided with shoulders 7t, upon which rest screws or other fasteners 77. for removframe.

ably securing said shells in position upon the I represents stops movable into and out of;

the passages or ducts O for shutting off the passage of the air to the.correspondingsup,-

port g. These stops may alsobe of desirable form, size, and construction, and are here illustrated as a cylindrical rod mounted in bearings A in the shell A, with one endzz'adapted to enter theduct 0 and the other i to pro- A shoulder i on the stop-rod I prevents its removal, and a spring 1 holds the stop in its adjusted position.

Upon reference to the drawings andthe foregoing description it will be evident that the frame A may be readily cast to the desired form, and that the only fittinglrequired is for the plunger-rod D, the supports g, andbushs ings G and the rods I. Itis therefore apparent that my dice-caster is very economically manufactured.

As-previously stated, the motive-force is compressed air, and there is no interposi-ng mechanism, as levers or similar parts, between the central actuating-plunger rod D and the movable dice-supports.

what I claim as new ands desire to secureby Letters Patent,.is.-

l. Ina dice-casten the combinationof :a frame having any air-passage or duct, a. sup

port for oneof the dice, mounted in thepath of the air passed through the passage or duct, and a compression device for forcing the air through said ductand moving the support,

substantially as and :for :thepurpose de-.

scribed.-

2. In a dice-caster, the combination :of a

frame havingan airpassage or duct, asupport for one of the dice, mounted in the path of the .air passed through-the passage or duct, a compression device for forcing the air.

through said duct and moving the support, and

a stop movable-into said duct for shutting off the passage of the air, substantiallyasdescribed;

3. .In dice-caster, the combination ofa frame having an air passageor duct, a sup-. port for one of the dice, mounted in the path of the air passed through the passage or duct, a transparent shell above the support, and a compressiondevice for forcing the air through.

said duct and moving the support, substan tially as specified.

4. Ina dice-caster, the combination of a frame having an-air passage or duct, a movable support for oneof the dice, mounted in,

the path of the air passed through the passage or,duct,;a compression device for forcingthe air through the passage or duct and moving IIO the support, a shell removably mounted above said support for permitting access thereto, andia fastener for retaining saidshell in its normal position, substantially as set forth.

5. In a dice-caster, the combination ofa I frame having an air passage or duct, a movable supportfor one of the dice, mounted in the path of the air passed through said passage or duct, and. a movable'plunger for forcing the .air through said passage or duct-and movingsaid support, substantially as specified.

6. In a dice-caster, the combination of a frame having an air passage or duct, a movable support for one of the dice, mounted in the path of the air passed through said passage.

or duct, a movable plunger for forcing the air through said passage or duct and moving said support, and a stop movable into and out of said passage or duct, substantially as set forth.

7. In a dice-caster, the combination of a frame having an air passage or duct, a movable support for one of the dice, mounted in the path of the air passed through said passage or duct, a movable plunger forforcing the air through said passage or duct and moving said support, a stop movable into and out of said passage or duct, and a spring for retaining the stop in its adjusted position, substantially as specified.

8. In a dice-caster, the combination of a frame having a series of passages or ducts, a series of movable dice-supports mounted above the exits of the respective passages or ducts, a series of transparent shells mounted above the dice-supports, and a plunger for forcing the air through said passages or ducts to move the dice-supports, substantially as set forth.

9. In a dice-caster, the combination of a frame having a series of passages or ducts, a series of movable dice-supports mounted above the exits of the respective passages or ducts, a series of transparent shells mounted above the dice-supports, aplunger for forcing I the air through said passages or ducts to move the dice-supports, and independent stops movable into the respective passages or duct-s for preventing the passage of the air, substantially as set forth.

10. In a dice-caster, the combination of a frame having a central chamber, passages or ducts leading from one extremity of said chamber, movable dice-supports mounted above the exits of the respective passages or ducts, a plunger movably mounted in said central chamber, and a flexible lining for said central chamber, having one and secured to the plunger and the other to the wall of the chamber, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two attesting Witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 9th day of January, 1892.

JAMES J. PARKER. Witnesses:

CLARK H. NORTON, L. M. BAXTER. 

